Reciting Potion Recipes
by BeatWriter
Summary: Mike Ross, fifth year Ravenclaw is invited to assist Professor Slughorn with his mixed-year Advanced Potions class. (Also known as the Hogwarts A.U. nobody asked for.)


p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"If there was one thing Mike prided himself on, it would be his title of Brightest Wizard of his Generation; a.k.a Lily Evans' male counterpart. And so, was it a surprise when Prof. Slughorn requested their (Lily's and his) assistance with the mixed-year Advanced Potions class? Not really. Had he been flattered? Sure. Had he been interested? No. Did he follow through with it? Yes. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Hey," he said as he approached the ginger witch, who was standing in front of the closed wooden door. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Mike, hi." she offered him a small smile. "How are you?" she had her books pressed to her chest, and her ginger hair groomed to perfection./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm good. How have you been?" It had been awhile since their last meeting; the Slug Club. He inwardly shuddered. Professor Slughorn was indeed a man of his own. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Good. Good." she said. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Ah! I'm so glad you're here!" Slughorn smiled a wide, toothy smile, and motioned for the two to enter the packed classroom. "Class!" he bellowed, while beckoning Lily and Mike forward. "I'd like to introduce you to Lily Evans and Michael Ross." Mike fidgeted with the end of his tie as Slughorn recited a brief biography on them both. "Today," he made a 'dramatic' pause. "You shall be brewing the much coveted and dangerous, Amortenia!" there were murmurs throughout the room. A love potion! How exciting! "Miss. Evans and Mr. Ross have kindly volunteered—" Mike huffed subtly. "— their time to assist you in your first attempt of brewing!" He continued on with instructions, dividing the class into groups, each assigned a 'helper'. It just so happened the Mike got stock with the infamous group who dubbed themselves the Firm. They were almost as bad as the Marauders. "You may begin!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Begrudgingly, Mike made his way to the back table, where the Firm resided. They weren't that bad. There was their leader, Jessica Pearson. She was someone you did not want to mess with. She was Head Girl, and the most cunning Gryffindor he had ever met, Mike felt he was lucky to be able to count his encounters with her on one hand. Then there was Harvey Specter. Cocky, heartless, and unendingly Slytherin. Mike often mused over the idea that the arrogant pureblood would make an absolutely brilliant lawyer. Next was Donna Paulsen; feisty redhead with the attitude to match. Despite sharing his house with her, she was no less the enigma she was known to be. And Rachel Zane. Oh, Rachel Zane. All through first to third year, the mouthy Gryffindor had been the object of his affections and (none dirty) fantasies. It wasn't until mid-fourth year that his affections shifted. Last, and certainly least, was Louis Litt. Mike had (much to his displeasure) had quite a few encounters with the ruthless Slytherin. Like Specter, Mike believed Litt would have made an excellent lawyer, had he been born a muggle. That was pretty much the only good thing he had to say about him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Settle down, children." spoke Jessica as he approached the buzzing table. "Hello, Ross." always business with Jessica. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Hi." he said. He waited a moment before setting his bag on an available corner. Another moment, and he was off fetching two cauldrons and double the supplies. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Would you guys split yourselves into two groups, please?" Jessica gave the Firm a stern look, and they did as they were told. To the right sat Donna and Harvey (the Dynamic Duo, as Mike liked to call them) and to the left were Louis, Jessica, and Rachel. "Awesome," he said quietly and to no-one in particular./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The rest of the class went swimmingly. Mike circled the table, offering help when he deemed it was needed (which was not often), and reciting the recipe accordingly. It wasn't until the final 'tasting' that the world went to shits. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Slughorn had requested one cauldron from each group be brought up the front of the class for inspection. At first thought, this wasn't an all too damaging request. It wasn't until he picked volunteers to test each one./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"First went Lily, with James Potter eager at her heels. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What do you smell, Miss. Evans?" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She leaned in and took a modest whiff. "I smell hair gel," she began, and took another whiff. "and quidditch gear," one last whiff. "and…" she looked puzzled. "… and an animal of some sort. Perhaps a deer, or a stag." the look on James' face was priceless, and it took all of Mike's effort not to laugh. Sirius Black clearly did not have the same courtesy. The sniffing went on, and Mike found himself growing weary. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Mr. Ross!" hollered Slughorn. "It is time we take a sniff of your lovely creation!" Mike mindlessly strode to the front of the room, unaware of who exactly was following him. "Well," Slughorn gave him an encouraging push. "Go on, now."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Instantly, Mike was hit with the strong scent of polished shoes. He sniffed the solution again. Pineapple. Once more. Expensive Cologne. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What do you smell, Mr. Ross?" He began listing off the scents, not noticing the way Harvey Specter's eye twitched every now and then. "Excellent, Mr. Ross! Now, Mr. Specter?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Harvey stepped forward, the weight of Mike's words not too heavy on his shoulders. He took a whiff. "Stuffed crust pizza," another. "paper and ink," last one. "Tires." He met Mike's stunned gaze. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Perfect, Mr. Specter! You may both go back to your seats."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mike refused to look at Harvey the rest of the class. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Finally, the bell rung, and Mike ran towards the door. All he wanted to do was escape to the Room ofbr /Requirement (if he managed to beat Sirius and Remus to it) and read to his heart's content. And sleep. Yes, sleep seemed like a good idea. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Hey," Mike felt a strong grip on his bicep, and reluctantly turned to face his 'attacker'. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Um, I have to go…?" the Ravenclaw tried to pull away from Harvey Specter's strong hold, to no avail. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""No you don't. I know you don't have a class right now, and that your deadbeat friend and his girlfriend are in Transfiguration."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Hey!" began Mike. Trevor was not a deadbeat. And his girlfriend has a name. Jenny. She's quite lovely, really. He's not quite sure how she ended up with the likes of Trevor. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Shut up and come with me." /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Reluctantly, Mike did as the other ordered, grumbling as he went. They ended up in one of the abandoned classrooms, much like the one's Trevor and Jenny enjoyed sneaking off too for a quick snog. He'd once caught Remus and Sirius in one, as well as Lucius Malfoy with Bellatrix Black. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What are we doing here—"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He was cut off by the hard pressure of foreign lips on his own, and the warmth of hands holding tightly onto his hips. At first, Mike was unsure as to what to do. What was one meant to do when they were spontaneously pashed? Mike did not know. And so, he did what felt natural; he kissed Harvey Specter back. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mike had kissed people before, yes. There was that time in fourth year with Trevor which they agreed never to speak of, as well as Tess, his first girlfriend. But they had never been like the one he was currently experiencing. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Wow." Mike murmured, as they broke apart. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Harvey smirked. "Yeah, wow."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So, what now?" asked Mike, his head still spinning. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Now," said Harvey, arrogant as ever. "We go to Hogsmeade this Saturday."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mike grinned. "Okay." he said, then leaned in to kiss the Slytherin once more. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Mike had been worried the day his crush on Rachel Zane become a front for his ever-growing feelings for Harvey Specter. He had never thought they would amount to anything, but fate had a way of playing you before she gave you a gift. It was worth it, Mike decided as he was pressed up against an unused desk, and held tightly by strong hands. It was worth it./p 


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